Replacing a totaled 2007 Suzuki SX4

So my husband's car was recently totaled by another driver while it was parked. It was a paid-off 2007 Suzuki SX4 hatchback with optional AWD. More importantly, it had enough head room, steering wheel clearance and leg room for him to be able to sit comfortably and drive safely. I'm popping in to see if any of you may have any recommendations for a replacement. Insurance is giving us $8000 to play with, and that seems pretty fair since we only paid $10000 for the car 4 years ago and we're hoping to get out of the dealer by handing over that check, nothing more.

So far, we're looking for comparables to the Suzuki like the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, but not really finding a whole lot in our price range. We've also looked at the smaller SUVs like the Ford Escape, Rav-4, CRV and Element. Scions were ruled out because they feel "too flimsy." Any other ideas or suggestions for models to look for? Best values for this price range? Currently, a 2004ish Element with ~120k seems to be winning. Cautions against this? He doesn't want a car with a trunk, which leaves us in the hatchback/wagon/crossover/suv categories.

Check out Subaru Outback Sport (its the one based on the Impreza, not the Legacy) and the Forester. The Forester likely has more headroom though.
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